Summary
Ralls Elementary is a small, rural PK-5 school in Ralls, Texas, serving 165 students as part of the Ralls Independent School District (Isd), which ranks in the bottom 5% of all Texas school districts. Over 86% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and the school has consistently ranked in the bottom 5% of Texas elementary schools over the past decade, with a current state ranking in the bottom 4th percentile (rank 4,448 of 4,627).
Academic performance at Ralls Elementary is dramatically lower than nearby schools, despite higher per-pupil spending ($12,158) and a favorable student-to-teacher ratio (12.9:1). For example, in 4th Grade Reading (2025-2026), Ralls had a 28.57% proficiency rate, while Idalou Elementary achieved 73.08%—a gap of nearly 45 percentage points. In 4th Grade Math, the gap was even wider: 23.81% vs. 70.51%. Even compared to Roosevelt Elementary, which also serves a high-poverty population (75.34% free/reduced lunch), Ralls lags significantly, with 5th Grade Reading scores of 21.21% vs. Roosevelt's 41.86%. This suggests that while poverty is a factor, Ralls faces unique challenges in translating resources into student learning.
One notable bright spot occurred in the 2020-2021 school year, when Special Education students ranked in the 75th percentile statewide, earning a 4-star rating—a massive outlier compared to the school's overall performance. However, this success was not sustained, and all other subgroups (Hispanic, White, Male, Female, Low Socioeconomic Status, and At-Risk) consistently rank in the bottom 1-9% of the state. There is a glimmer of hope in 5th Grade Mathematics, where proficiency has risen from 23% (2022-2023) to 35.29% (2025-2026), the school's highest rate in any subject. Overall, Ralls Elementary is in urgent need of a fundamental re-evaluation of its instructional approach.
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